Bishops, Ecclesiastical Institutions, and the Ostrogothic Regime 457
Economic power was intertwined with political influence, in the sense that
the one might increase the other, which in turn ensured greater enrichment.
Some episcopal sees such as Arles and Narbonne in Gaul and Milan, Aquileia,
and Ravenna in northern Italy, saw their importance grow thanks to the new
dynamics of emerging Roman-barbarian kingdoms. In a world where both
the players and the games were changing quickly, these bishops assumed a
decisive role in consolidating the new balance of power that the Ostrogothic
administration aimed to establish. Their deeds stand out in the letters, hagi-
ographical accounts, and legislative texts of the period, in which they often
appear as holy bishops.
Powerful Bishops, Holy Bishops: Christianity in Italian Towns
Caesarius’ Life does not explain why Caesarius was called to the court at
Ravenna a few years after the end of the war in Provence.25 Nevertheless, the
wording of the letter with which Theoderic exculpated the bishop of Aosta from
proditio patriae gives the impression that the number of Nicene bishops under
investigation was larger than suggested by the case recorded by Cassiodorus in
the Variae. To explain Caesarius’ summons to Ravenna, scholars have consid-
ered various possible criminal charges: the accusation of betrayal by the Jewish
community during the siege of Arles;26 the sale of sacred ecclesiastical furnish-
ings to ransom captives;27 and the excessive use of resources to rebuild the
female monastery (intended for the stewardship of his sister Caesaria) whose
buildings were destroyed during the siege.28 The latter two activities provoked
the clergy who noted the ruthlessness with which the bishop managed eccle-
siastical resources. Previously, Pope Simplicius (468–83) had regulated their
use, removing Gaudentius, the bishop of L’Aquila (Aufinum) from his seat after
he had performed non-canonical ordinations and for three years appropriated
all the revenues of his diocese.29 As early as 475, therefore, it was established
that ecclesiastical income and the offerings of the faithful were to be allocated
equally to the bishop, the clergy, the construction of buildings for worship,
and the welfare of the poor and pilgrims. What was known as the quadripar-
tite (fourfold) division of church revenues was also strongly advocated by
25 Vita S. Caesarii 1.36, ed. Bona, p. 102.
26 Delage,“Le séjour de Césaire d’Arles en Italie”, p. 104.
27 Février, “Césaire et la Gaule méridionale au VIe siècle”, pp. 60.
28 Klingshirn, Caesarius of Arles, pp. 124.
29 Simplicius, Ep. 1.1, ed. A. Thiel, pp. 175–7.